Patents Assigned to Cerberus AG
  • Patent number: 4249168
    Abstract: The detector has first and second circuits which are interconnected. The first circuit senses the emission of a flame at least in the wavelength range of carbon dioxide and produces square-wave signals corresponding to the flicker frequency. The second circuit senses short wavelength emission with a wavelength shorter than 3 .mu.m and produces square-wave signals corresponding to the flicker frequency of the emission. The interconnecting means permits the alarm means to be activated only when the first circuit signals and the second circuit signals are present simultaneously and with the same direction, to indicate that the flicker frequency is the same for both emissions. An integrator prevents spurious coinciding signals from resulting in an alarm and a reset circuit periodically resets the integrator. Various specific photoelectric means are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1981
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventor: Jurg Muggli
  • Patent number: 4241282
    Abstract: A smoke detector having a radiation source operating in the infrared, visible or ultraviolet wavelength region, transmitting radiation throughout an expanded or extended solid angle region of predetermined minimal extent. A radiation receiver is arranged externally of this radiation region for the reception of radiation which has been scattered at smoke particles and for signal transmission upon exceeding a predetermined smoke density. To compensate for decrease in smoke sensitivity of the smoke detector with temperature increase there is provided a bimetallic strip which, in the presence of a temperature increase, gradually moves into a small part of the radiation region and causes an additional irradiation of the radiation receiver. By suitable selection and arrangement of the bimetallic element the smoke sensitivity remains almost constant up to a predetermined critical temperature, or the smoke sensitivity gradually increases with increasing temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1978
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1980
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Erwin Tresch, Jurg Muggli
  • Patent number: 4225859
    Abstract: A method of, and apparatus for, monitoring sound-conducting media wherein sound vibrations are transmitted to and absorbed by the sound-conducting medium. The frequency of the transmitted sound vibrations periodically pass through a predetermined frequency range. During an evaluation period the course of any one of the amplitude or phase of the received sound vibrations are compared with the course of the amplitude or phase during one of the preceding evaluation periods, and when there occur predetermined deviations of both amplitude courses or both phase courses from one another there is triggered an alarm signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1980
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Alois Zetting, Markus Kopfli
  • Patent number: 4194120
    Abstract: An ionization chamber with two electrodes having a variable spacing and with a radioactive source for the ionization of the electrode gap therebetween includes an adjusting mechanism for the positional adjustment of one of the electrodes relative to the other. The mechanism is such that a spring element presses the adjustable electrode against at least one point of the adjusting mechanism.Several arrangements are disclosed for adjustably mounting a cup-shaped electrode in the housing of the chamber in such a manner that it is readily adjustable and will not undergo spurious readjustment as a result of vibration of shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1980
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Otto Meier, Andreas Scheidweiler
  • Patent number: 4189644
    Abstract: An ionization chamber of the type used in an ionization smoke detector is made adjustable. The chamber has two electrodes and one radioactive source for ionizing the electrode gap. One of the electrodes is laterally displaceable relative to the other. As a result of displacement of this electrode, areas of the electrode with differing geometrical configurations can be brought into the ionization zone of the radioactive source.Several different embodiments of the electrode with different geometrical configurations are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1980
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schubert, Bernhard Durrer
  • Patent number: 4181439
    Abstract: An optical smoke detector comprising a radiation source which transmits radiation into a predetermined spatial region and a radiation receiver to which there is delivered the radiation which is scattered by particles located along the radiation path. The radiation source possesses a substantially conical ring-shaped radiation characteristic or pattern and the radiation receiver is arranged substantially at or along the cone axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1980
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Erwin Tresch, Zoltan Horvath
  • Patent number: 4179691
    Abstract: A circuit for an infrared intrusion detector comprising a plurality of receiving directions or regions which are separated from one another and a radiation receiver, at the output of which there appears an electrical signal corresponding to the infrared radiation which is absorbed by all of the receiving directions or regions. The circuit is structured such that an alarm signal is delivered when the received infrared radiation both ascends in a predetermined manner as well as descends in a predetermined manner within a given delay time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1979
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventor: Hansjurg Keller
  • Patent number: 4175865
    Abstract: An optical smoke detector comprising a radiation source transmitting radiation throughout a predetermined spatial region and at least one radiation receiver to which there is delivered the radiation scattered by particles located in the radiation region. One or a number of elements conducting radiation by reflection are provided and arranged such that they remove radiation, which has been forwardly scattered at an acute angle with respect to the radiation direction, at a substantially ring-shaped zone about the region of direct radiation and delivers such removed forwardly scattered radiation to the radiation receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1979
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Zoltan Horvath, Erwin Tresch
  • Patent number: 4168497
    Abstract: At least two sensors are used, providing electrical output signals to indicate alarm conditions, one of the sensors being a bipolar ion sensor having a shielded ion chamber formed to slow or brake atmospheric currents therethrough, and a second sensor which operates essentially in unipolar mode having an ion chamber freely accessible to atmospheric flow therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 18, 1979
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventor: Andreas Scheidweiler
  • Patent number: 4166960
    Abstract: A smoke detector comprising a radiation source producing a directed radiation beam and a scattered radiation receiver arrangement having directional characteristics. An evaluation circuit is operatively connected with the receiver arrangement for delivering a signal whenever there is exceeded a predetermined degree of radiation scattered at smoke particles within the radiation beam. Either the radiation source, the radiation receiver arrangement, or both, have such directional characteristic and the evaluation circuit is constructed such that the radiation received from two fields of view of the radiation receiver arrangement are compared with one another. These two fields of view are differently situated relative to the radiation beam and both fields of view contain a markedly different amount of scattered radiation, but receive at least approximately the same spurious radiation from at least approximately the same background.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1979
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventor: Ernst Meili
  • Patent number: 4166955
    Abstract: A radiation detector having at least one radiation sensitive element with more than two electrical contacts. The effects of noise occurring between pairs of contacts are substantially eliminated by multiplying at least two partial signals appearing between two of the contacts. The detector is particularly suitable for use as a passive infrared detector and as a flame detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1978
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1979
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventor: Hansjurg Keller
  • Patent number: 4149159
    Abstract: In a fire detection system, detectors of different sensitivities are arranged in pairs and the pairs of fire detectors are positioned at regular intervals along an elongated protection area, whereby detectors of one sensitivity alternating with detectors of the other sensitivity are connected via two line systems to a signal center which emits an alarm signal when an alarm signal is simultaneously received via both line systems. In use, for example in a vehicle tunnel, a more uniform response sensitivity is obtained along the protection area, accompanied by a decrease in the necessary number of fire detectors and a reduced tendency to false alarms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1979
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Fritz Datwyler, Ernst Huber
  • Patent number: 4142188
    Abstract: A method of, and apparatus for, monitoring sound-conducting media wherein sound vibrations are transmitted to and absorbed by the sound-conducting medium. The frequency of the transmitted sound vibrations periodically pass through a predetermined frequency range. During an evaluation period the course of any one of the amplitude or phase of the received sound vibrations are compared with the course of the amplitude or phase during one of the preceding evaluation periods, and when there occur predetermined deviations of both amplitude courses or both phase courses from one another there is triggered an alarm signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1979
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Alois Zetting, Markus Kopfli
  • Patent number: 4109240
    Abstract: An ionization chamber is exposed to the atmosphere to be supervised, the ionization chamber being so constructed that the electrical resistance thereof changes in the presence of fire particles or aerosols upon occurrence of a fire; to improve reliability of detection, the ionization chamber is connected as a resistance element in a free-running multivibrator oscillator circuit, which includes a pair of cross-coupled field effect transistors (FET's) so that, upon change of the atmosphere to which the ionization chamber is exposed, the pulse frequency of the oscillator changes, which change is detected by a pulse rate detector. If the detector has upper and lower threshold levels, deviation of pulse rate in one direction may be used to sense presence of a fire, and in the other direction may be used to sense incipient trouble in the circuit itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1978
    Assignee: Cerberus AG.
    Inventor: Andreas Scheidweiler
  • Patent number: 4087688
    Abstract: An infrared radiation-burglary detector comprising an optical system for focusing the radiation upon a radiation receiver. One or more internally reflecting prism surfaces enclose the axis of the optical system and are arranged substantially parallel to such axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1976
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1978
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventor: Hansjurg Keller
  • Patent number: 4081680
    Abstract: An infrared radiation-burglary detector comprising a number of reflector surfaces which focus the radiation incident from different separate receiving regions upon a common radiation receiver. The reflector surfaces are arranged and aligned such that the intersection locations of the receiving regions, viewed in the radiation direction, are located behind the front of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1978
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventor: Hansjurg Keller
  • Patent number: 4074341
    Abstract: To permit separation of a fire sensor element from a socket element, but prevent accidental, or unauthorized removal and separation, the socket element is formed with a movable catch engaging in an opening or recess in the sensor element, upon moving the sensor in engaged position with respect to the socket. The catch can be released from engaged position only by a removal tool pressing the catch out of engagement, the removal tool preferably being so constructed that it surrounds the sensor element to inhibit contact of the person handling the removal tool with the sensor element, and thus prevent contamination of the sensor element, or injury to the operator if the sensor element contains dangerous materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1978
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Werner Niederost, Bernhard Durrer
  • Patent number: 4058726
    Abstract: A radiation detector for simultaneously detecting electromagnetic radiation from a number of separate receiving regions by means of a single radiation receiver. Optical bundling means are arranged such that they direct the radiation emanating from the individual receiving regions onto the single radiation receiver. The optical bundling means comprise surfaces having two different main radii of curvature. The radiation receiver is arranged at the one main focal point of the individual surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1977
    Assignee: Cerberus AG, Switzerland
    Inventors: Hansjoachim Paschedag, Hansjurg Keller
  • Patent number: 4058803
    Abstract: Two ionization chambers are formed on the sensor, one including a pair of electrodes and ionizing substance, which are relatively so located that, in the space between the electrodes, the air will be ionized with both positive and negative ions so that the current flowing between the electrodes will be generated by ions of both polarities to form a bipolar ionization chamber; the other has the electrodes and the ionizing substance so located that at least in a portion, preferably a major portion of the space between the electrodes, ions of only a single polarity will occur. The bipolar chamber is shielded from air flow therethrough, the unipolar chamber, however, being exposed to free air flow. Preferably, a third or reference chamber may be combined with the sensor. The unipolar and bipolar chambers are connected to an evaluation circuit which responds when the current between the electrodes in at least one of the unipolar or bipolar chambers drops below a certain threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1977
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventor: Andreas Scheidweiler
  • Patent number: RE30117
    Abstract: To render an ionization-type sensing element essentially immune to changes in ambient conditions, principally temperature or operating voltage, while still using low-current draining circuits to sense response of the ionization chamber of the sensor, the threshold response level of a field effect transistor (FET) is arranged to have approximately the same temperature response characteristic, within the range of ambient temperature considered, as the ionization cell so that the overall circuit or system combination of the cell and FET amplifier will have a response which is essentially independent of ambient temperature or similar conditions. The source path of the FET is connected to a voltage divider which is so dimensioned that the voltage division ratio (R.sub.2 /R.sub.1) is related to the temperature coefficient (.alpha.) of the base-emitter voltage of the FET and the temperature coefficient (.beta.) of the measuring ionization cell chamber:R.sub.2 /R.sub.1 =(.beta./.alpha.)-1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1978
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1979
    Assignee: Cerberus AG
    Inventors: Andreas Scheidweiler, Otto Meier